Tag: Pro

HIGHLIGHTS

The benchmark tests pitted new iPad Pro models against MacBook Pro

The 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models were included in the test

Benchmark also included 2016 MacBook Pro models

Apple’s new iPad Pro models are as capable as the refreshed MacBook Pro models, matching, and even surpassing the laptops in certain benchmarks. Bare Feats, a benchmarking blog, posted some CPU and GPU test results that pitted the 2017 MacBook Pro models against the new iPad Pro 12.9 inch and 10.5-inch models.

The devices were tested with a series of benchmark tests like GeekBench and GFXBench giving an idea about the CPU and GPU performance of the new iPad Pro and MacBook Pro models. The tests also included older 2016 MacBook Pro and iPad Pro models to get a better idea about the improvements that the new hardware brings to the hotel.

In terms of GPU performance, the new iPad Pro models outperform the MacBook Pro (2016 and 2017) models in Geekbench 4 Compute Metal test. The test results showed the 10.5-inch iPad Pro model scoring 27,814, and was closely followed by 12.9-inch iPad Pro which scored 27,597. MacBook Pro 2016 and 2017 models came third and fourth with a score of 27,631 and 26,353 respectively.

In the single-core GeekBench 4 tests, the all-new MacBook Pro 13-inch was seen scoring 4,650, which outperformed the new iPad Pro models which scored around 4,000 mark. Though, the test also saw that the 12.9-inch and 10.5-inch iPad Pro models scores were on par with the older MacBook Pro models.

In the multi-core CPU tests, the 2017 MacBook Pro models yet again outperformed all the iPad Pro models with a stunning score of 10,261. The new iPad Pro models, however, beat the 2016 MacBook Pro models, which can be seen as a big improvement for the tablets.

The benchmark scores may indicate that the new iPad Pro models can match CPU and GPU performance of MacBook Pro though we want to stress that these scores aren’t indicative of real-world usage usage.

To recall, Apple refreshed the 12.9-inch iPad Pro model at the WWDC 2017, and also launched the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro. The company also refreshed the entire MacBook lineup, including a new 13-Inch MacBook Pro configuration.

So your PC came pre-loaded with Windows 10 S and you want to install programs from outside the Store. Here’s how to upgrade your Windows 10 S machine to Windows 10 Pro.

Some devices come pre-installed with Windows 10 S, which is locked to the Windows Store for apps and games. Luckily, Microsoft offers Windows 10 S devices an upgrade path to Windows 10 Pro, unlocking the ability to install programs from the web. Here’s how you can upgrade your own Windows 10 S device to Windows 10 Pro.

How to upgrade Windows 10 S to Windows 10 Pro

A PC running Windows 10 S can be easily upgraded to Windows 10 Pro. It takes just a few seconds, and on some devices may even be a free upgrade. In most cases however, the upgrade will cost $49.99.

To initiate the upgrade process:

Press the Start button located at the bottom left of your screen.

Select the Settings icon, located just above the power icon on the Start menu.

Select Update & Security in the Settings app.

Select Activation, and then select Go to Store.

Select the Install option. On some devices, this button may display a price. If so, you will have to pay for the upgrade.

Make sure you’ve saved all your work, and select Yes, let’s go to get the upgrade started.

After a few minutes, your PC will restart and Windows 10 Pro will be installed.

And there you have it, once the restart is complete, you’ll see a popup that says the upgrade was successful. You can now install programs from the web, and do a clean install of Windows 10 Pro if you wish.

Windows 10 S is a streamlined version of Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system designed to improve performance by limiting the programs it can run.

The software can only run apps downloaded from Windows’ Store, making it Microsoft’s answer to Google’s Chrombook.

Announced in May, the company has called the software a “walled” version of Windows 10 that will help computers “run as well as they do on day one as they do on day 1,000”. One reason laptops slow down is invasive software, Microsoft says, so the new system will be welcome to many users.

However, the operating system restricts what apps users can download, meaning some users may want to stick to a more traditional program. For them, there is an option to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro for a $49 (£38) fee.

What is Windows 10 S?

Similar in many ways to Microsoft’s current operating system Windows 10 Pro, the new software has the same task bars, multi-tasking and hot keys as the current system, as well as the same look. The operating system has been showcased on Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop, released on June 15.

So what has changed? Apps installed on Windows 10 S are “contained” to prevent them from making changes to the operating system, which should mean the laptop performs better over its lifetime. Microsoft says the system should boot 15 seconds faster on average than a similar machine running Windows 10 Pro.

It also helps to secure the system by limiting the device to apps that are verified and downloaded through the Windows Store, which prevents malicious and unwanted software from slowing the system down.

The operating system is also designed to lock down and secure devices for use as education tools, tapping into the market that has been dominated by Google’s ChromeOS.

Chrome and Firefox will not be available

One issue that may cause some people to change their operating system from Windows 10 S is the limitation of popular apps. The operating system limits users to Microsoft’s Edge web browser and makes Bing the default search engine.

The restrictions mean users cannot set Google as their default search engine or download the Chrome app. Other search engines like Firefox aren’t available either, while popular systems such as gaming platform Steam and Adobe’s Creative Cloud Suite cannot be downloaded.

More apps are coming to the Windows Store, however, with Spotify and iTunes some of the latest additions. Any user attempting to install an app that is not approved by the Windows store will be met with the following pop up.

Windows 10 S pop upCREDIT: MICROSOFT

Should I upgrade to Windows 10 Pro?

If you really want to use apps that can’t be accessed on the Windows Store you have the option of upgrading to Windows 10 Pro, Microsoft’s current software.

The quickest way to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro is by attempting to download an app from outside of the Windows Store, which triggers a pop-up offering the upgrade.

Windows 10 Pro installCREDIT: MICROSOFT

The download will be free to users on the Microsoft Surface Laptop until December 31, after which users will incur a fee. The software upgrade cannot be reversed, meaning once you switch to Windows 10 Pro you cannot easily return to 10 S.

The update also won’t be free on cheaper Windows devices, with those under $700 (£550) incurring a $49 (£39) fee for upgrading. Microsoft has not yet confirmed UK pricing.

What devices will run Windows 10 S?

The flagship device for Windows 10 S is Microsoft’s new £979 Surface Laptop. It will also come on a range of new devices from Acer, Dell, HP Acer, Asus and Samsung. These devices will largely be cheaper than the Surface Laptop, although few are available in the UK at the moment.

With all the big and small and last-minute details that go into wedding planning, it’s easy to lose sight of two very important elements on the matrimonial checklist. Firstly, the reason behind the ceremony altogether . . . and secondly, the often-overlooked ritual of bridal self-care. After all, blemishes and dark circles are no match for that ivory lace frock. And while you may have intended to adhere to a strict regimen of weekly oxygen treatments or daily hydrating masks, somehow, cake tastings and welcome bags and your mother-in-law got in the way. Fear not, soon-to-be Mrs., a clear complexion, bright eyes, and a flawless glow on your final day is still completely possible with the help of six expert-approved, day-of essentials, from a waterproof mascara to an anti-aging face mask. Whether you’ve hired a pro to master your aisle-ready look or plan to DIY that morning, here are in-demand makeup artist Alexa Rudulfo’s product picks for your kit—beauty sleep not required.

“I recommend this wonderful foil mask to all my clients,” says Rudulfo of its super-hydrating and brightening properties. “It’s perfect to prep skin with on the night before or the day of an event.”
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Concentrated Recovery PowerFoil Mask, $79, sephora.com

HIGHLIGHTS

Samsung Galaxy J7 Max is priced at Rs. 17,900

Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro is priced at Rs. 20,900

Both the smartphones will be available via offline stores

Samsung has unveiled two new ‘J’ series smartphones, the Galaxy J7 Max and Galaxy J7 Pro, at an event in New Delhi. The South Korean giant has teamed up with Reliance Jio to offer up to 120GB of additional data to buyers of the Galaxy J7 Pro and Galaxy J7 Max. The former comes with Samsung Pay service seen on the likes of Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, while the latter includes a new service that Samsung is calling Samsung Pay Mini.

The Galaxy J7 Pro and Galaxy J7 Max sport a slim metal unibody design with no bezel on the left and right edges of the smartphone. There is a Home Button in the front with the fingerprint scanner underneath. The volume keys are on the left edge while the power button sits on the right edge of the smartphones. Both the smartphones come in Gold and Black colour options.

Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro, Galaxy J7 Max price in India, release date
The Samsung Galaxy J7 Max and the Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro are priced at Rs. 17,900 and Rs. 20,900 respectively. The phones will be available via offline retail and Samsung’s online store, with the Samsung Galaxy J7 Max going on sale from June 20, while the Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro will be made available sometime in mid-July. Both the smartphones come in Gold and Black colour options.

Samsung Pay Mini
Samsung Pay Mini, which makes its debut with the Galaxy J7 Max, is a toned-down version of the Samsung Pay mobile payments standard. It is meant for phones that do not have in-built NFC. It doesn’t work with regular swiping machines for ’tap and pay’ offline payments, but supports mobile wallets and UPI for online payments.

Samsung Galaxy J7 Max specifications
Coming to the specifications, the Samsung Galaxy J7 Max runs on Android 7.0 Nougat and sports a 5.7-inch full-HD (1080×1920 pixels) display. It is powered by a MediaTek Helio P20 octa-core processor paired with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. The storage is further expandable via a microSD card slot as well.

As for optics, the Samsung Galaxy J7 Max packs a 13-megapixel rear and front sensors with f/1.7 aperture and f/1.9 aperture respectively, and flash support on both ends. There’s also a smart glow mode around the rear camera that gives you alerts for notifications when they arrive. The Samsung Galaxy J7 Max packs a 3300mAh battery, and connectivity options include LTE, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth support. The smartphone is only 8.1mm thick.

Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro specifications
The Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro sports a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080×1920 pixels) Super AMOLED display, and is powered by an Exynos 7870 octa-core SoC paired with 3GB of RAM. It offers 64GB of internal storage that can be expanded using a microSD card (up to 128GB). The smartphone packs a 3600mAh battery and is IP54 certified for being splash proof. It supports dual-SIM slots, USB Type-C port, and 4G LTE. The Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro is 7.9mm thick.

HIGHLIGHTS

New iMac models announced at starting price of $1,099

New iMac models available from Monday

Apple gave sneak peek of the iMac Pro

Apple at its WWDC 2017 keynote, as expected, announced an update to its iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air lineup of devices. The company also teased its all-new iMac Pro – the most powerful Mac ever – which will be available starting December this year.

John Ternus, Apple’s Vice President of Hardware Engineering, announced the latest generation of iMac models with prices starting at $1,099 for the 21.5-inch iMac, 21.5-inch iMac Retina 4K at $1,099, while iMac Retina 5K 27-inch starts at $1,799. The new iMac lineup will be available with macOS High Sierra coming this fall. Apple has announced that the new iMac will be available to order starting Monday via apple.com, and will be available to buy in Apple Stores starting on Wednesday.

The Cupertino-based giant announced that the new iMac will sport the “best Mac display ever” which is 43 percent brighter at 500 nits and with support for one billion colours. Ternus also confirmed that the entire lineup will ship with Intel’s seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors.

The updated iMac features Kaby Lake processors up to 4.2GHz with Turbo Boost up to 4.5GHz and supports up to twice the memory as the previous generation. Fusion Drives are now standard on all 27-inch configurations and the top-end 21.5-inch iMac. Ternus added that the SSD storage options are now up to 50 percent faster, and iMac comes with Thunderbolt 3.

The new iMac lineup will have two USB Type-C connectors with Thunderbolt. Apple also confirmed that the entry level iMac models will have the Intel Iris Plus Graphics which is up to 80 percent faster graphics than the previous generation.

The new 21.5-inch iMac Retina 4K will come with AMD Radeon Pro 555 and Radeon Pro 560 graphics. Ternus claimed that the new system is up to 3 times faster than the previous generation in terms of graphics, while the 27-inch will be 50 percent faster.

The company also announced an update to its 27-inch iMac models which Apple said is the “most popular desktop for pro customers.”

The company also offered a sneak peek at the iMac Pro which is marketed as new “workstation-class product line designed for pro users with the most demanding workflows.” Apple is calling it the most power Mac ever. The all-new iMac Pro sports 27-inch Retina 5K display with up to 18-core Xeon processors and up to 22 Teraflops of graphics computation. The all-new iMac Pro will come in new Space Grey enclosure.

The iMac Pro is scheduled to ship in December starting at $4,999 in the US. The company also detailed a new thermal architecture that is said to give it 80 percent more cooling capacity in the regular iMac design. It ships with the new AMD Radeon Pro Vega GPU with 16GB of HBM2 memory. It supports up to 4TB SSD, 128GB ECC RAM, four Thunderbolt 3 ports, and 10Gb Ethernet – a first for Mac.

Giving a sneak peek of the new iMac Pro, Ternus said, “We’re thrilled to give developers and customers a sneak peek at iMac Pro. This will be our fastest and most powerful Mac ever, which brings workstation-class computing to iMac for the first time. We reengineered the whole system and designed an entirely new thermal architecture to pack extraordinary performance into the elegant, quiet iMac enclosure our customers love iMac Pro is a huge step forward and there’s never been anything like it.”

HIGHLIGHTS

Samsung Galaxy J7 Max and J7 Pro run Android Nougat

OnePlus 5 might cost $479 (about Rs. 30,800)

Reliance Jio added 3.87 million new subscribers in April

Samsung launched two mid-range Android phones in its J-series on Wednesday in New Delhi. They are called the Samsung Galaxy J7 Max, which costs Rs. 17,900, and the Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro, which comes in at Rs. 20,900. While the former will be available June 20, the latter won’t go on sale until mid-July, weirdly. Both run the latest Android 7.0 Nougat underneath. Samsung has partnered with Reliance Jio to offer up to 120GB of additional data. Both phones also have Samsung Pay digital payments service, though it’s scaled down as Samsung Pay Mini (no card functionality) on Galaxy J7 Max, since it doesn’t have NFC capability.

In terms of specifications, Samsung Galaxy J7 Max gives you a 5.7-inch full-HD display, powered by a MediaTek Helio P20 octa-core processor, with 4GB RAM. It has 32GB internal storage, which is expandable via microSD card. The phone has a 13-megapixel rear (f/1.7) and front (f/1.9) camera, with flash on both ends as well. There’s a 3,300mAh battery inside. The Galaxy J7 Pro, on the other hand, has a 5.5-inch full-HD Super AMOLED display, powered by an Exynos 7870 octa-core SoC, with 3GB RAM. It has 64GB internal storage, which is expandable via microSD card. The phone has the same camera and flash setup. There’s a 3,600mAh battery inside.

OnePlus 5 price, specifications leaked once again
Less than a week ahead of its global launch, the OnePlus 5 has faced more leaks. This time, it’s the price, specifications, and pictures of the new flagship from the Chinese manufacturer. According to a blog, the OnePlus 5 will start at $479 (about Rs. 30,800). In India, the phone is expected to start from Rs. 32,999 for the base variant. Meanwhile, registrations for the phone have been opened on Chinese ecommerce website JD.com. If you register, you’ll be able to take part in a flash sale on June 22, the listing says.

The same website also provided the specifications and images, which show that the OnePlus 5 will indeed look similar to the iPhone 7 Plus in terms of its design, and rear camera setup. It will run Android 7.1.1 Nougat on a 5.5-inch full-HD display, with two RAM options: 6GB and 8GB. OnePlus has already confirmed the presence of Snapdragon 835, so there’s no point debating about that. The OnePlus 5’s camera setup will most likely have a 20-megapixel f/2.6 and 16-megapixel f/1.7 sensors on the back, and a 16-megapixel sensor on the front. The phone is also said to have a 3,300mAh battery.

Reliance Jio’s growth was slowest in April
According to TRAI data, Reliance Jio experienced its slowest growth in April, though its numbers were ahead of all competitors. It added 3.87 million new subscribers to take its total up to 112.55 million, with Airtel (2.85m), BSNL (0.81m), and Vodafone (0.75m) following behind. The total number of telecom subscribers in India now stands at 1198.89 million, after an increase of 4.31 million over March.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will reportedly launch mid-August
Samsung isn’t shying away from the Note brand after last year’s Note 7 debacle, with the Galaxy Note 8 expected to arrive mid-August, as per a new report. A launch in that month would give it a head start on the iPhone, something Samsung has always been keen on with its Note series.

Meanwhile, a tipster on Weibo has revealed the Galaxy Note 8 will have a dual camera setup on the back. Some section of the consumers were disappointed with the lack of rear camera upgrade on the Galaxy S8/ S8+, and it seems Samsung is happy to oblige with the upcoming new smartphone.

LG G6 now available at Rs. 38,990 in India
LG’s latest flaghship – the LG G6 – arrived in India at the tail end of April, and it’s already seeing interesting price drops. The phone is now available at a Rs. 13,000 discount, which puts the price of LG G6 at Rs. 38,9990. There are two caveats though: only Amazon Prime members can avail the offer, and it’s only applicable to Ice Platinum and Astro Black colour options. There are a couple of other offers as well – for Bajaj Finance card owners, and Reliance Jio extra data – which you can check out here.

Intel invests Rs. 1,100 crore in Bengaluru R&D centre
Intel is putting in Rs. 1,100 crore with its upcoming Bengaluru R&D centre, the company’s India GM Nivruti Rai said in a press conference on Wednesday. Set on an eight-acre campus in the city’s south-east suburbs, it’s also expected to add 3,000 jobs over the next year and a half. This is in addition to the $2 billion (roughly Rs. 12,852 crores) Intel has already invested until 2016.

Google hires Apple chip architect to help with Pixel
Google is looking to drive up its in-house product innovation, and it has hired Apple’s long-time chip architect Manu Gulati to do just that. Gulati announced the job change publicly on his LinkedIn profile on Tuesday, stating that he now works as Google’s “Lead SoC Architect”. He has over 27 years of experience in the industry.

One of the biggest reasons for iPhone’s success is the home-grown nature of its chips, something Samsung has started to emulate with its own Exynos line. Google had earlier shown interest in doing so, and Gulati’s hiring shows that it’s very much on that path now. Expect the Pixel phones to have Google’s home-made chip designs in the near future.

Meanwhile, a leak discovered by 9To5Google and Android Police’s sources have revealed that the Pixel 2 might be manufactured by LG. The nitty-gritty has to do with a bug entry filed by an LG employee for a device codenamed Taimen, which seems to be the internal name for Pixel XL successor. If you didn’t already know, HTC made the first Pixel line.

Instagram’s Archive feature now rolling out to everyone
Instagram’s Archive feature, which lets you store away previously-shared photos to a private section, is now rolling out to all users worldwide. Think of it as Facebook’s “Only Me” setting, which means you don’t have to delete something if you’d rather just hide it from everyone. To access it, you’ll need the latest 10.21 version of the Instagram app, on Android and iOS.

IRCTC offers Rs. 50 cashback for mVisa payments
As part of a digital payment promotion running till September 4, IRCTC is offering Rs. 50 cashback to travellers who use the new mVisa payment option. To do so, you’ll need to first get the mVisa app on your smartphone, link your Visa debit/credit card, and then scan the mVisa QR code on the IRCTC website.

Uber CEO takes indefinite leave, and Yahoo CEO steps down after Verizon takeover
Uber CEO and co-founder Travis Kalanick has decided to take time away from the company, after a months-long internal investigation pointed out the various flaws in Uber’s work culture. In an email to staff, he said he needed to become a better leader to run the highly-valued Silicon Valley startup.

Meanwhile, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer ended her five-year reign after her position was made redundant due to Verizon’s completion of its takeover of the once Internet giant. She will receive a compensation package estimated to be worth about $125 million (roughly Rs. 804 crores).